The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-13
Savannah's Need.

Savannah shows less enterprise i'll the
matter of railroad building than any other
important town in the State. While other
! towns are projecting new roads for the pur-
| pose of extending their trade and holding
| that which they already have, Savannah
! appears to be satisfied to wait for those who
! have no interest in her prosperity to build
roads for her benefit. This IS not wise
thing for her to do, because the chances are
that while she is waiting roads viii be built
in other parts of the State which will draw
her trade away from her.
If our merchants will give little of their
time to the study of the map of the State
they will be able to discover where they can
use some of their surplus money to good adj
vantage in building roads That there IS
plenty of money here that is not protitably
invested and which could he obtained for
any promising railroad enterprise if the
right sort of an effort were made, there is no
doubt. If leading business men were to act
tremendously and energetically they could
not only obtain money for building rail
roads that would help Savannah immensely
but also for other enterprises which would
afford employment for the city's increasing
population.
The Savannah Dublin and Western, it is
reported, is being pushed along
quite rapidly. The amount of
work said to be done upon it is
sufficient to justify the belief that it is
going TO be built A little assistance offered
to it now might insure its early completion
1t is not asking for help, but show of con-
fidence in it by this city might aid it greatly
in disposing of its securities When it is
built it will greatly increase the volume of
our trade. 1t runs through a country which
is capable of great development, and which
will at once furnish immense quantities of
lumber and naval stores. 1t will also pre-
vent trade from being drawn away from us
by roads that are now either being built or
are projected.
A projected road that Savannah is more
interested in than any other, however, is
the Savannah and Western. The char
ter of it is virtually controlled by Savannah
men. 1t should be built at once. 1t
would do Savannah an immense amount of
good-more. perhaps, than any other road
that could be built. 1t has splendid posi-
bilities, and might eventually become a
great trunk line If the projectors of it
will make an earnest effort to build it there
is every reason to believe that they can get,
here in this city, all the help they need.
1t is clear to anyone who observes care
fully what is being done in the State, in the
way of railroad building, that Savannah
cannot afford to permit railroads to be built
all around her without dong something in
railroad building herself. The Georgia
Southern and Florida railroad, for instance,
is being pushed ahead vigorously. A cargo
of rails arrived at Brunswick few days
ago for it, This cargo will be sufficient for
twenty three miles of track. Other cargoes
are now on the way, and it is confidently
expected that by May next the road will be
in running order from Macon to Valdosta
From Valdosta it will run to Palatka, and
Chief Engineer Wells says that there
are SO few difficulties on that part
of the line to be overcome that
he will be able to build it at compare
lively small cost. The building of this road
from Macon into Central Florida, connect
ing there with the system of the Florida
Railway and Navigation Company, will
have a very marked effect upon the present
transportation lines in South Georgia and
Florida. OF course it will not bring trade
to this city. 1t will tend to draw it away
Our merchants cannot afford to see rail
roads built all around their city, and
through the territory whose trade they have
always controlled, without making an effort
TO protect their interests. Savannah needs
more railroads, and she ought to be prepar
ing to build them at once.